Recessed fireplace screen mounting



June 12, 1962 w` D. BRUNIG 3,038,537

REcEssED FIREPLACE SCREEN MOUNTING ATTORNEYS June 12, 1962 w. D. BRUNIG 3,038,537

RECESSED FIREPLACE SCREEN MOUNTING Filed Aug. 2l, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR, "7171113111, D. Bz'uu'?v ATTORNEYS 3,038,537 RECESSED FIREPLACE SCREEN MUUNTING William D. Bruuig, Norwich, N fr'. Filed Aug. 2l, 1958, Ser. No. 756,351 14 Claims (Cl. 16d- 332) This invention relates to fireplace screens and more particularly relates to an improved method of mounting a recessed flexible fireplace screen.

Fireplace screens of flexible metal are, generally speaking, either of the frame type which is free standing on feet provided as a part of the frame, or the attached typ'e which is directly attached to the fireplace. Attached type screens themselves may be of the outside type, which are generally larger than the fireplace opening, and the recessed type which fit inside the opening. The latter type of screen may be custom made to fit the individual fireplace or may be of an adjustable size so `as to be adjustable to fit a certain range of sizes of fireplaces. Both the adjustable and custom made recessed -screens generally involve Ithe attachment of suitable brackets to the fireplace or, in some instances, use sup lport assemblies which are friction mounted in the fire place and upon which the screen itself is mounted. Such a separate mounting for a recessed screen is shown by way of example in United States Patent No. 2,644,191, issued July 7, 1953.

The present invention relates to a flexible fire screen which possesses a number of distinct improvements and advantages over anything known heretofore. According to the invention, `a recessed fire screen is provided wherein the means for clamping the screen to the fireplace is integral with curtain suspension track, so that but a single installation step is involved. The unit is provided with clamping pads which are pivotal horizontally and vertically -to provide for satisfactory adaptation of the pads to variations or imperfections in the fireplace walls Vagainst which the pads are clamped. One pad is provided lwith an adjustment to permit a given size of fireplace screen to bewadapted to vari-ations in the rated size of fireplace and, according to a preferred embodiment, the clamping pads support depending curtain reinforcing rods which insure that the curtain covers the entire fireplace opening despite adjustment of the clamping pads. The unit involves a minimum number of parts and is capable of simple and quick installation even by relatively inexperienced personnel.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved recessed type flexible curtain fire screen.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved recessed type flexible fire screen wherein the curtain suspension track and the clamping means comprise an integral unit.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved recessed flexible curtain re screen having clamping means movable in two different planes to permit adaptation of the clamping means to variations or .imperfections in the walls of the fireplace opening in which the screen is to be mounted.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved recessed type flexible curtain fire screen capable of adjustment to permit mounting in fireplace openings where the width varies slightly from the rated size of the fireplace screen.

It is still another object of the invention to provide yan improved recessed flexible curtain fire screen of the foregoing type which is simple in construction, utilizes a minimum number of parts, and is capable of mounting in a short period of time.

These and further objects and advantages of the inven- "tion will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification and claims and appended drawings wherein: j

FIGURE 1 is a top view, party in section, showing the curtain suspension track and clamping arrangement of a. flexible curtain fire screen constructed according to the present invention, the central portion of the track being broken away and the ends of the trim strip 4being broken off;

FIGURES 2a and 2b are left and right sides respectively of a front elevation of the fire screen assemblage of FIGURE l showing the track and trim strip in phantom;

FIGURE 3 is a left end elevation of the fire screen assemblage of FIGURES land 2;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevation of the grommet plate which is found in the right end of the unit;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of the grommet plate of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation of a curtain suspension hook;

FIGURE 7 is la front elevation of a fire screen unit constructed according to the present invention mounted in a fire place; and

FIGURE 8 is an end elevation view of the curtain suspension track and its attached decorative trim strip.

Referring to FIGURE 7, there is shown a fireplace 10 having inside walls 12 and a lintel 14. A fire screen generally indicated at 16 is mounted in the opening and Ithe only parts which are visible are the curtains 18 and trim strip 2f).

Referring to FIGURE 8, the trim strip 20 is formed with reversely bent or folded upper and lower edges 22 and 24 which lock over the upper and lower flanges 26 and 2S respectively of a curtain suspension track 30. 'I'he track 3i? is formed of a continuous strip of metal having a back 32 and reversely bent or rfolded edges 34 and 36 which form the flanges 26 and 28 respectively. The reversely folded edge 34 is further bent to form the up- -per track wall 38, .track side wall 40 and right bottom rtrack Wall 42. The lower reversely bent edge 36 is similarly bent to form the left bottom track wall 44. The right Aand left bottom track `walls 42 and 44 terminate short of one another to leave a slot 45 through which the curtain suspension hooks extend in a Well known manner.

Referring to FIGURES 2a and 2b wherein the suspension track and trim strip are shown in phantom, an end angle 46 is secured to the bottom 42-44 of suspension track 30 by means of an attaching screw 48. The screw 48 also passes through a lug 50 on a screw bracket 52 to secure that bracket to the suspension track. The inner end of screw 48 engages one leg 54 of an angle nut having a perpendicular leg 56 which extends out of the end of the track 30. A washer 58 may -be provided between the leg 54 of the angle nut and the bottom wall of the track, although this is not essential.

The end angle 46 extends beyond the end of the suspension track 3f) and terminates in -a bent over end 60. Mounted on this end angle is an end clamp generally indicated at 62. This end clamp has a generally dished shape and consists of a bottom 464, vertically upstanding side walls 66 and 68 (best seen in FIGURE 2a) and vertically upstanding end walls 70 and 72 (best seen in FIGURE 1). The end walls 70 and 72 have serrated edges 74 for a purpose presently to become apparent.

The end angle 46 passes through a slot 76 in the bottom 64 of the end clamp and this slot is of a size larger than the end angle in order to permit relative movement between the clamp and angle. That is to say, the slot is of such a size as to permit the end clamp a limited pivotal movement about the longitudinal axis of the slot andalso about an axis perpendicular thereto. The outer end wall 72 of the end clamp receives a screw 78 which passes through the eye 80 of a vertical reinforcing rod or wire 82 in the outer edge of the suspended flexible curtain 18. This reinforcing rod determines the position of the edge of the left curtain and its attachment to the clamp pad insures that the curtain edge will always be disposed immediately adjacent the fireplace wall which the clamp pad engages.

The screw bracket 52, mentioned heretofore, consists of a top plate 84 having `a front depending flange 86 and `a side ldepending iiange 88. The lug 50 extends horizontally outward from the left end of the front flange 86 in FIGURES l and 2 and is attached to the curtain track by the attaching screw 48, as has been explained previously. The right end of the front iiange 86 also carries a lug 90 which extends under the track 30.

The end flange 88 which depends from plate 84 of screw bracket 52 extends below lug 50 and screw threadedly receives a locking screw 92. The end 94 of locking screw 92 engages the bottom 64 of end clamp 62 and determines the inner-most position which the end clamp may assume with respect to the suspension track. That is to say, advancing the locking screw 92 to the left in FIGURE 2 results in movement of the serrated edge 74 from the solid line position shown in that figure to the broken line position shown at 96. A further adjustability is provided by the fact that the entire assemblage of screw bracket 52, end angle `46, end clamp 62 and locking nut 92 are positioned on the suspension track by means of the attaching screw 48 which passes through the slot in the bottom of the suspension track. By merely loosening the screw 48, it is possible to move the foregoing assemblage to the left or to the right to achieve an additional adjustability. This adjustability is possible not only in a longitudinal direction by sliding the end angle along the track, but also in a rotational direction. That is to say, the end angle 36 may be rotated about the attaching screw 48 a limited amount to provide still a further flexibility in the wall variations which the clamp is capable of handling.

It will further be appreciated that by using a single screw to mount the foregoing parts, a simplicity of assembly is achieved which contributes to the ease of assembly of the entire unit. The screw bracket 52, end angle 46, washer 58 and angle nut 54--56 may be all assembled together prior to mounting on the track and may then be slid into the slot in the end of the curtain suspension track. The screw 48 may then be tightened to lock all of these components in position.

A post or pulley 93 is provided in the left end of the track 30 to receive the bight of the draw chain in a conventional manner.

Referring now to the right hand portions of FIGURES l and 2b, a right clamping plate 98 is aflixed to the right end of the suspension track and consists of a bottom 100, end walls 102 and 104, and side walls 106 and 10S. The end walls 102 and 104 are serrated as shown at 110 and the bottom 100 is slotted at 112. The right end clamp 98 is thus identical to the left end clamp 62 and, similarly to that clamp, supports a curtain reinforcing rod 114 by means of a screw 116 in the end wall 104. This rod insures that the right edge of the curtain is at all times immediately adjacent the right wall of the replace opening in which the screen is installed.

Extending through the slot 112 in the bottom 100 of end clamp 98 is an end angle 115 having an upwardly bent end 118 the upper end of which engages the inside surface of side wall i106. As with the left end clamp 62, the slot 112 in the right end clamp is of a size which permits a limited pivotal movement of the right end plate about the longitudinal axis of the slot along with a limited pivotal movement about an axis perpendicular to this, lthat is, an axis perpendicular to the surface of end angle 115.

End angle 115 is secured in position by means of an attaching screw 120 which passes through the slot 45 in the bottom of the curtain track 30 and engages a U-shaped speed nut 122 which is wrapped around the end 124 of a grommet plate 126.

The grommet plate 126, which is shown in detail in FIGURES 4 and 5, is formed from a single piece of sheet metal which is symmetrically bent around a longitudinal axis to form a double thickness top plate 128 and a double thickness depending flange `130. The top plate 128 is slotted at 132 and 134 (as is best seen in FIGURE l) and the walls of the double depending liange are spread outwardly about the centers of these slots at 136 and 138 in an hour glass fashion, as is best seen in FIG- URES 2 and 4. These hour glass shaped conduits form grommets 140 and 142 for receiving the draw chain shown diagrammatically at 144 and 146 at the right end of FIGURE 2. The right end 124 of the grommet plate is formed without a depending flange and is bored at 148 to receive the screw i120 which engages the speed nut 122 wrapped around this end of the grommet plate.

It will thus be seen that the entire assemblage of grommet plate, end angle and end clamp may be secured together before assembly with the curtain track by means of the single attaching screw 120 and speed nut 122 which is pressed onto the end of the grommet plate. The chains may be conveniently threaded through the grommets 140 and 142 externally of the track and the entire sub-assembly then slid into the end of the track with the screw 120 sliding into the slot 45. The screw 120 may then be tightened to lock the components in position and the Very act of assembling the curtain suspension track and grommet plate thus also assembles the clamping plate which is to support the unit in the fireplace. The curtain is of course supported on conventional eye-hooks, one of which is shown at 150 in FIGURES 2 and 6 by way of illustration.

In mounting a tire screen unit of the foregoing type the curtain and both end clamps are assembled to the curtain track and the locking screw 92 is backed out so that the left end clamp 62 is in its most retracted position. The suspension track and attached clamps are then inserted into the fireplace opening in the proper position with the serrated edge 110 of the right end clamp 98 engaging the right side wall of the fireplace; By reason of the slot type mounting of the clamp, this end clamp is free to pivot both horizontally and vertically so as to snugly engage the fireplace wall despite variations or imperfections in its surface.

The screw 92 is next advanced so as to force the left end clamp 62 to the left until its serrated edges 74 engage the left side wall of the fireplace. This end clamp also is free to pivot about its slot 76 in two directions so as to firmly engage the left side wall irrespective of imperfections or variations in its surface. Further tightening the locking screw 92 frictionally locks the entire assemblage in position in the fireplace thereby completing the installation.

The fire screen is thus mounted by the simple adjustment and tightening of but a single screw without the necessity for mounting brackets or separately mounting the support and curtain suspension track. The novel mounting of the clamping means permits adaptation of the unit to the uneven surfaces frequently found in lireplace brick without any additional labor to compensate for such imperfections. The adjustable left clamping means permits a specified size of fireplace screen to be adapted to fireplace widths which vary slightly from the rated size. Since the depending curtain reinforcing rods are attached to the clamp pads it is always certain that the curtain covers the entire fireplace opening.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desiredto be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. In a curtain type fireplace screen, track means adapted to support the curtain of said fireplace screen, said track means having a slot extending along the entire length thereof, clamp means for gripping the walls of a fireplace, attaching means connecting said clamp means to said track means, said attaching means extending through said slot in said track means and movable therein to a desired preset position, and means associated with at least one of said clamp means for moving said clamp means outwardly into gripping contact with the walls of a fireplace to lock said track means in position in the fireplace.

2. In a curtain type fireplace screen, track means adapted to support the curtain of said fireplace screen, said track means having a slot extending along the entire length thereof, clamp means for gripping the walls of a fireplace, said clamp means being movable about two mutually perpendicular axes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said track means, attaching means connecting said clamp means to said track means, said attaching means extending through said slot in said track means and movable therein to a desired preset position, and means associated with at least one or" said clamp means for moving said clamp means outwardly into gripping contact with the walls of a fireplace to lock said track means in position in the fireplace.

3. In a curtain type fireplace screen, track means adapted to support the curtain of said fireplace screen, said track means having a slot extending along the entire length thereof, clamp means for gripping the walls of a fireplace, each said clamp means having an aperture therein loosely receiving an angle member extending from said track means, attaching means connecting said clamp means to said track means, said attaching means extending through said slot in said track means and movable therein to a desired preset position, and means associated with said clamp means for moving at least a portion of said clamp means outwardly so that said angle member extending through the aperture in said clamp means moves through said aperture.

4. In a curtain type replace screen, track means adapted to support the curtain of said fireplace screen, said track means having a slot extending along the entire length thereof, clamp means for gripping the walls of a fireplace, each said clamp means having an aperture therein loosely receiving a plate member extending from said track means, attaching means connecting said clamp means to said track means, said attaching means extending through said slot in said track means and movable therein to a desired preset position, and screw means associated with one of said clamp means for moving at least a portion of said clamp means outwardly so that said plate member extending through the aperture in said clamp means moves through said aperture.

5. In a curtain type fireplace screen, track means adapted to support the curtain of said fireplace screen, said track means having a slot extending along the entire length thereof, clamp means for gripping the walls of a fireplace, each said clamp means having an aperture therein loosely receiving a plate member extending from said track means, said plate member having a bent over end to retain said clamp means thereon, attaching means connecting said clamp means to said track means, said attaching means extending through said slot in said track means and movable therein to a desired preset position, and screw means associated with one of said clamp means for moving at least a portion of said clamp means outwardly so that said plate member extending through the aperture in said clamp means moves through said aperture.

6. In a curtain type fireplace screen, track means adapted to support the curtain of said fireplace screen, said track means having a slot extending along the entire length thereof, clamp means for gripping the walls of a fireplace, a bracket attached to the end of said track means adjacent Said clamp means, attaching means connecting said clamp means to said track means, said attaching means extending through said slot in said track means and movable therein to a desired preset position, and a lock screw passing through said bracket and engaging said clamp means for moving at least a portion of said clamp means outwardly into gripping contact with the walls of a fireplace to lock said track means in position in a fireplace.

7. In a curtain type fireplace screen, track means adapted to support the curtain of said fireplace screen, clamp means for gripping the walls of a fireplace attached to each end of said track means, at least one of said clamp means being movably attached to Said track means, said movably attached clamp means having an aperture therein loosely receiving a member extending from said track means so as to permit said movement, a bracket attached to the end of said track means adjacent said movable clamp means, and a lock screw passing through said bracket and engaging said clamp means for moving said clamp means outwardly into gripping contact with said walls to lock said track means in position in a fireplace.

8. In a curtain type fireplace screen, track means adapted to support the curtain of said fireplace screen, clamp means, for gripping the Walls of a fireplace attached to each end of said track means, at least one of said clamp means being movably attached to said track means, said movably attached clamp means having an aperture therein loosely receiving a member extending from said tra-ck means `so as to permit said movement, a bracket attached to the end of said track means adjacent said movable clamp means, and a lock screw passing through said bracket and engaging said clamp means for moving said clamp means outwardly into gripping contact with said walls to lock said track means in position in a fireplace, -said bracket and extending member being connected to one another and to said track means by a single attaching screw.

9. A device as set out in claim 8 wherein said track means contains a longitudinal slot for mounting said curtain, and said attaching screw passes through said slot.

10. A device as set out in claim 9 wherein said bracket comprises a plate portion having a lug through which said attaching screw passes and having a flange substantially perpendicular to said plate portion through which said locking screw passes.

1l. A device as set out in cl-aim l0 wherein said extending member is an angle having a pair of perpendicular legs, one of said legs receiving said attaching screw and passing through said aperture in said clamp means.

l2. A device as set out in claim 1l wherein the other Iclamping means contains a slot loosely receiving a member extending from said track means, a grommet plate in said track means, Isaid last mentioned extending member and grommet plate lbeing fastened together and to said track means by a screw passing through said slot in said track means.

13. A curtain type 'fireplace screen comprising elongated track means, a screen supported Ifrom said track means, clamp means for gripping the walls of a fireplace attached directly to the outer ends of said track means, at least one of said clamp means being movable relative to said track means, means associated with said movable clamp means for moving at least a portion of said clamp means outwardly into gripping contact with said walls to lock said track means in position in a replace, and vertically depending reinforcing rods attached to said i 'E' clamp means and depending therefrom, said rods being attached to the edges of said curtain.

14. A curtain type replace screen comprising elongated track means, a screen `supported from said track means, clamp means for gripping the walls of a fireplace movably attached directly to the outer ends of said track means, means associated with one of said clamp means for moving at least a portion of said clamp means outwardly into gripping contact with said walls to lock said track means in position in a replace, and vertically depending reinforcing rods `attached to said clamp means 8 and depending therefrom, said rods being attached to the edges of said curtain.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 420,486 Wyant Feb. 4, 1890 2,253,989 Dodge Aug. 26, 1941 2,275,236 Shannon Mar. 3, 1942 2,313,496 Adams Mar. 9, 1943 2,554,106 Heubeck May 22, 1951 2,644,191 Meyer July 7, 1953 2,664,154 Evers Dec. 29, l1953 

